Chewey Walnut Squares

Six ingredients, one bowl, 30 minutes start to finish. These walnut squares are barely cookies and almost candy. A full cup of packed brown sugar against just half a cup of flour means the ratio leans heavily sweet and chewy, with a thin crackly crust on top and a soft, almost fudgy center.

There’s no butter in this recipe, which is unusual for a bar cookie. The single egg and brown sugar do all the binding. Stir quickly once you add the flour; overworking this small amount of batter develops gluten and makes the squares tough instead of chewy.

Pull them from the oven while the center still looks soft. They firm up as they cool in the pan. If you bake until the center looks done, they’ll turn hard and lose that signature chew.

Pro Tips

• Pack the brown sugar firmly; loose measurement throws off the sugar-to-flour ratio
• Chop the walnuts coarsely so you get big nutty bites in every square
• Cut in the pan after cooling; these are too soft to transfer to a cutting board warm
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature; they stay chewy for 3-4 days

Variations

• Swap walnuts for pecans for a more buttery, Southern-style square
• Add ½ cup of chocolate chips for a chewy walnut blondie
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before baking for a sweet-salty contrast